Detachable connector



- Jan. 4, 1966 JOHNSON 3,227,496

DETAGHABLE CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 11, 1964 INVENTOR. ROBERT H Jam/muATM/aways" disconnect the handle. No. 2,755,495.

be attached. Such a barisshown at No. 2,755,495.

United States Patent This invention relates to a detachable connectorfor handles for mops or other utility items.

Many devices have been devised for handles for attaching the handles tomops :or other articles wherein there is a wireor rod member to beconnected to the handle, but with such devices generally it requires apin, screw or some manipulation of bolts and nuts "to .connect and Sucha device is shown in Patent The vpresenthan'dle and connector thereon isadapted for attachment toa mop head or other utility device whereinthere is a wire, bolt or shank to which .thehandle may 29, FIG. 1, ofPatent Other objects of the present invention are to provide a handlehaving a connector member on the end thereof wherein there is an openingfor attachment to a bar member of a tool to which the handle is to beattached; to provide two facing channel members to form a housingsecured together by a pin orthe like,.said housing having .one open endand a head spaced from said open end .to

form a bite portion between said head and open end of the housing; toprovide a latch member slidable to close the bite portion for receivingthebar member; to provide the slidable latch member with a cam memberfor engaging the bar member to hold it in place; to provide spring meansfor the latch member urging same to --closed position; to provide meanson the latch member for manually moving same to release said connectorfrom said bar of the mop head; and'to provide a device of this charactersimple and economical to manufacture; I have found that upon twisting ofthe handle the cam surface may be used for release of the bar memberfrom the opening in the connector.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my detachable connectorshown on a handle and the bar to which the connector is attached.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the connectorshowing the latch member in locking position against the bar.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the latch member shown in openposition.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the handle turned slightly and thebar of the tool to which it is attached in cam action against the latchmember.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

1 designates a connector embodying the features of my invention shownattached to a handle 2 and consisting of two rectangular-shaped channelmembers 3 and 4 having their sides 5 and 6 meeting as indicated at 7,FIG. 1, secured together by a rivet or pin 8. The channel-shaped member4 has its lower face 4 extended outwardly of the member 3 and is turnedlaterally toward the channelshaped member 3 as indicated at 9 and thenturned upon itself as at 10 to lie flat against the laterally turnedportion forming a head 11 for the connector 1. The end is then turnedagain laterally and lies flat against the inside of the lower face 4 ofthe channel-shaped member 4 as 3,227,496 Patented Jan. 4, 1,966

illustrated in FIG. 2 to strengthen the head'll. The upper portion orface 13 of the channel-shaped member 3 stops :short ofthe head 11 andforms an entranceway 14 to a bite portion 15 for the bar 16 of a mophead or the like (not shown).

The channel-shaped members 3 and 4 placed together form a housing 17 fora sliding latch member 18, which engages underneath the top 13 of thechannel-shaped member 3. The latch member is flat and has a slot 19 nearits forward end 18 through which the pin 8 engages. The rear end of thelatch is reduced in width, extended and turned laterally upward at anangle as indicated at 20 and then downwardly as illustrated forming ahand portion 21 --to be grasped by the user of the handle, the handportion extending through an opening or slot 22 in the top 13 of thechannel-shaped member 3.

The fiat slidable latch member '18 has a struck out portion which isturnedidown as indicated at 24 and then upwardly forming awhook 25spaced from said pin to which one end 26 of a coil spring 2'7 isattached and the other end 28 is attached to saidpin 8, so that theslidable latch member 18 is normally in closed position against the head'8 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The end of the channel-shaped members 3 and 4 are turned upwardly at anangle as indicated at 29 and 30 and merge into semi-circular portions 31and 32 facing each other and which are attached to the handle 2 by abolt or the like 33.

In operation of a device assembled and constructed as described, when itis desired to attach the handle with its connector to a mop head or thelike having a bar as illustrated at 16,the hand hold 21 is grasped bythe hand of the user and pulled rearwardly toward the handle portion toslide the latch rearwardly so that the bar 16 may enter into the biteportion 15 through the opening 14.

The slidable latch member 18 has its outer or forward end 18 turned downand inwardly at an angle, the rounded turned down portion engagingagainst the inside of the "head 11 as indicated at 34 and the turneddown angle portion forming a cam surface 35 which engages against thebar 16 to hold it in place.

When it is desired to detach the handle from the bar 16, the slidablelatch may be moved rearwardly against the tension of the spring 27 bythe hand portion 21 and the bar then moved outwardly through the opening14 of the head portion of the connector. The bar 16 may also be releasedfrom the connector by turning of the handle to the right or clockwisedirection as shown on FIG. 4 whereby the bar 16 will move upwardly alongthe cam surface 35, thus moving the latch member to open position ifdesired in that manner.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improvedconnector for handles to be attached to various utility items such asmop heads and the like and one which is quickly attached and detachedtherefrom.

It is to be understood that While I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A detachable connector for a handle adapted to be connected to a mophead or the like having a bar extend ing transversely to said handlecomprising,

(a) a pair of facing substantially rectangular shaped channel membersforming a housing having an open end, the other end of said channelmembers having extension portions, said channel members having upper andlower walls, said upper wall having a slot therein spaced from said openend,

(b) means securing said extension portions to said handle,

(c) a pin extending through said walls of said channel member near saidopen end and securing said channel members together,

((1) said lower wall extending outwardly from said open end and havingits end turned transversely toward the upper wall and spaced therefromforming a head. and a bite portion between said head and said open endfor receiving the bar of said mop head or the like,

(e) an elongated flat latch member slidable in said housing having oneend turned downwardly and rearwardly at an angle toward said handle, therounded end portion of the turned, down portion of the latch normallyengaging said head and said angled portion of the rearwardly extendingturned down portion of the latch having a cam surface engaging said barof the mop head to hold same in place, said latch member having anelongated slot therein through which said pin extends, the other end ofsaid latch member having an end extending through said slot in the upperwall of said housing forming a hand hold for movement of the latchmember away from said head to disengage said bar of the mop head fromsaid bite portion, and

(f) means engaging said pin and said latch urging said latch to normallyclosed position against said head.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last named means is a coilspring having one end secured to said pin and its other end to saidlatch at a point spaced from said pm.

3. A detachable connector for a handle adapted to be connected to a mophead or the like having a bar extending transversely to said handlecomprising,

(a) a pair of facing substantially rectangular shaped channel membersforming a housing having an open end, the other end of said channelmembers having extension portions, said channel members having upper andlower walls,

(b) means securing said extension portions to said handle,

(c) a pin extending through said walls of said channel member near saidopen end and securing said channel members together,

(d) said lower wall extending outwardly from said open end and havingits end turned transversely toward the upper wall and spaced therefromforming a head and a bite portion between said head and said open endfor receiving the bar of said mop head or the like,

(e) an elongated fiat latch member slideable in said housing underneathsaid upper wall and having one end turned downwardly and rearwardlytoward said handle, the rounded turned down portion of said latchnormally engaging said head, said latch member having an elongated slottherein through which said pin extends, and

(f) means engaging said pin and said latch urging said latch to normallyclosed position against said head, and said downwardly angled portion ofsaid latch having a cam surface engaging said bar of the mop head tohold same in said bite portion and whereby turning of said handletransversely of said bar will cause said bar to move upwardly againstsaid cam surface and force said latch to move away from said head torelease said bar from the bite portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said last named means is a coilspring having one end secured to said pin and its other end to saidlatch at a point spaced from said pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,508,612 9/1924Potter 24239 1,909,713 5/1933 Parsons 30628 2,122,164 6/1938 Van Buskirk15l51 2,571,971 10/1951 Vogel 24-239 2,861,287 11/1958 Scalf 151442,885,707 5/1959 Vogt 15151 X 0 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS P. CALLAGHAN, Examiner.

I. B. TALTON, T. A. LISLE, Assistant Examiners.

1. A DETACHABLE CONNECTOR FOR A HANDLE ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A MOPHEAD OR THE LIKE HAVING A BAR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID HANDLECOMPRISING, (A) A PAIR OF FACING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SHAPEDCHANNEL MEMBERS FORMING A HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN END, THE OTHER END OFSAID CHANNEL MEMBERS HAVING EXTENSION PORTIONS, SAID CHANNEL MEMBERSHAVING UPPER AND LOWER WALLS, SAID UPPER WALL HAVING A SLOT THEREINSPACED FROM SAID OPEN END, (B) MEANS SECURING SAID EXTENSION PORTIONS TOSAID HANDLE, (C) A PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID WALLS OF SAID CHANNELMEMBER NEAR SAID OPEN END AND SECURING SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS TOGETHER,(D) SAID LOWER WALL EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OPEN END AND HAVINGITS END TURNED TRANSVERSELY TOWARD THE UPPER WALL AND SPACED THEREFROMFORMING A HEAD AND A BITE PORTION BETWEEN SAID HEAD AND SAID OPEN ENDFOR RECEIVING THE BAR OF SAID MOP HEAD OR THE LIKE,